Turbine wheel



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. L. RODGERS.

TURBINE WHEEL.

(Model.)

No. 247,113. Patented Sept. 13,1881.

(Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. L. RODGERS.

TURBINB WHEEL.

v`1\Io. 247,113. Patented Sept. 13,1881. I A

UNITED STATES rPATENT OFFICE.

JAMES L. RoDGEnS, or"A SPRINGFIELD, onto.

TURB-INE WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,113, datedSeptember 1S, 1881.

Application iled J une 22, 1881. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, JAMES L. Ronanns, ofSpringfield, county ot' Clarke, State of Ohio, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Turbine Wlheels, of which the following is afull, clear, and. exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 represents a vertical section through a wheel having my.improvements applied. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the same,taken just below the plane ofthe gate arms or levers. Fig. 3 is a planor top view ot the same, showing the arrangement of gates, Sto., indotted lines. Fig. 4 is abottom view, showing the arrangement ofthegates and the means for operating the Same. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview, and Fig. 6 is a front elevation of two of the double buckets.

My invention relates to anovel construction of buckets, adapting themmore fully to utilize the weight and reactive force of the water; and itconsists in the employment ot' double buckets, or buckets having acentral partition, giving them each an upper and a lower compartment,the lower walls of both ot' which incline downward at the same angle,and which are consequently parallel, both compartments ot' the bucketshaving a central discharge, the partitions to the several bucketsforming, when the latter are united and in place, a central ring orbrace, materially strengthening and' stiffening the wheel.

The wheel, in its organization and arrangement ot' parts, is Similar tothat described in Letters Patent granted to me October 20, 1874, No.156,102, and it need not therefore be here described in detail furtherthan is necessary to an understanding of my present improvements.

In the accompanying drawings, A A represent the upper and lower rings otthe wheelcase, between which the ways or guides for directing the waterto the wheel are formed; and B, a vertical annular flange or rim, castby preference in one piece with the lower ring, A', of the wheel-case.

U is the wheel arranged within the case A A', and covered by a cap-plateor disk, D, the outer edge of which overhangs the ring A, and is securedthereto.

E E are the buckets, two ot which are Shown detached in Figs. 5 and 6.These buckets are provided with a central partition, e, dividing themhorizontally into two co|npartments,ff, with the lower walls, e and e',of each inclining to the rear at the same angle, thus making themparallel, as shown in Fig. 6. The rear end ofthe partition e is cut awayto conform to the shape of the succeeding bucket, which abuts snuglyagainst it, as shown, while the lower wall, c', is extended underneathlthe bucket next in rear of it, the forward end of which rests upon andmay be rigidly Secured to said extension in any suitable manner. By thisarrangement it will be seen that only a central discharge is left to thebucket, while both compartments thereof are provided with inclinedbottoms, adapting each to utilize the weight and reactive force of thewater, thereby 'greatly increasing the efficiency of the bucket. Thepartitions e of the several buckets, when the latter are secured inplace, form a central ring, bracing or stiftcning and strengthening thewheel, and, in connection with the overlapping lower walls, e', of thebuckets and the manner of uniting them, cutting oft' the bottomdischarge, permit a material reduction in the weight and consequent costofthe wheel, while insuring the requisite strength.

The rings A A of'the wheel-case are separated by upright partitions A2,which form the guides for directing the Water to the Wheel. These may becast in one piece with the rings, or they may be made separate andsecured thereto, uniting the rings in any suitable manner. They are inthe form of an acute-angled triangle, set obliquely to radial linescrossing the rings, with their apices adjacent to the wheel C, the innerside or face, ot, of the partitions being tangential, or nearly so, tothe periphery oi' the wheel, as Shown.

partition is grooved vertically, or has a concavity formed in it in thearc of a circle ot' which the pivot h of the gate H is the center. Thegates H are made somewhat similar in form t'o the guides orpartitions-that 'is to say, they approximate their wedge or triangularform; but each has its base rounded to match the concavity in the outerend of the The base of the triangle or outer end ot' each IOO partition,as shown, and the outer face, h', of the gate, by preference, is alsorounded, this form facilitating the movement of the gates under thepressure of the water. The gates H 5 have lever-arms 71.2 formed upon orrigidly secured to their upper ends, said arms extending outwardunderneath the upper ring, A, of the wheel-case to a gate-ring, I,surrounding the ring A, and moving in suitable ways there- Io on. Theouter ends of the arms h2 are connected, each by a pivoted swinginglink, t', with the gate-ring I, the arrangement being such that as saidring is partially rotated around the ring A ofthe wheel-oase the gateswill be 1 5 simultaneously operated for opening or closing .the waterways or passages between the guides or partitions A2. The employment ofthe pivoted links connecting the arms h2 and the ring I permits saidarms to vary their distance from and their angle of relation to thering, while at the same time it relieves the connection, to a greatextent, of the friction incident to the use of the slotted and slidingconnections ordlnarily employed. These gate-arms may be 25 so arrangedrelatively to the gates and ring also as to exert their greatestleverage at that point where the resistance to the movement of the gatesis the greatest-viz., when the gates are closed and subject to the.pressure of the water upon their outer faces only-the resist- 3o ancediminishing as the gates are thrown open, diminishing the leverage ofthe gate-arms.

The means for actuating the ring may be similar to those described in myformer patent, as may also all parts of the wheel not 35 hereinparticularly described.

Having now described my invention, I claim- In a turbine wheel, thedouble buckets having the lower and partition walls inclined at 4o thesame angle, and parallel, or nearly so, and provided only with thecentral discharge, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of June*aA. D. 1881.

JAMES L. RODGERS.

Witnesses A. P. LINN COCHRAN, A. TORRELL.

